Man who stabbed friend is jailed

Nov 17 2011 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A THUG who stabbed his friend in the chest while high on drugs has been jailed.

Steven Lammie had topped up his prescribed 150ml daily dose of methadone with heroin when he confronted his friend, who had gone out to post a letter, in Parkhead Gardens in West Calder.

“An argument ensued between the pair and the accused appeared to be under the influence of some sort of substance,” the fiscal depute told Livingston Sheriff Court.

“The accused was standing in front of the complainer and took a knife from his pocket and approached him.

“On seeing the knife coming in his direction the complainer attempted to move out the way [but] was struck in the chest area just below the throat with the knife.”

The court heard the victim declined medical attention but was seen to have a small laceration beneath his throat approximately 2cm long.

Lammie was then taken to Livingston Police Station where he was found to be in possession of 10 wraps of heroin, worth between £100 and £200.

Lammie, who was described as a prisoner of Edinburgh, pled guilty to stabbing his friend to his injury on July 30 this year.

The 29-year-old also admitted being in possession of class A drugs.

His solicitor, Peter Mullin, told the court his client realised it was a serious matter.

Mr Mullin added: “Mr Lammie is realistic enough to know that the court today will only have one reasonable disposal - custody.

“The victim and Mr Lammie were friends before this incident and they continue to be friends.

“The victim himself attended at my office to declare his support for Mr Lammie and is uninterested in the future of this prosecution.

“Of course it is not up to him if he is prosecuted and Mr Lammie quite rightly tendered a plea of guilty.

“He remembers very little of the incident. After it, he and the victim remained in each other’s company for a period and Mr Lammie apologised for his behaviour.

“The complainer refused any medical treatment at this stage and he describes his injury in a statement to the fiscal’s office as a graze.

“Mr Lammie has had a long-time difficulty with drugs, more specifically with heroin, and it seems to have spiralled out of control at the time of the offence.

“I would ask that following a period of four years without coming to the attention of the court that the court could reflect the very unusual circumstances of this offence with a shorter prison sentence than normally would be the case.”

Jailing Lammie for 22-and-a-half months Sheriff Martin Edington said: “Charge one is indeed a very serious offence involving a knife which you actually stabbed someone with in a very dangerous part of their body.

“Perhaps conveniently you do not remember anything about it.

“You have previously breached probation and although it was some time ago you have a previous conviction for assault which was on indictment.

“It also seems to me that from the report that you have not complied with those who have been trying to help you.

“Your solicitor was right to say at the outset that the only sentence available to the court is a custodial sentence.

“I am prepared to take into account, bizarre though they may seem, the circumstances of this offence involving your friend.”